Designing With an Ocean Literacy Approach: Towards the Definition of “Ocean Cycle‐Centric Design”

The Ocean Decade has provided a unique framework for fostering science‐informed practices that necessitate a rethinking of human relationships with the sea. The 2024 UNESCO Venice Declaration for Ocean Literacy in Action highlights the need to develop “ocean‐centric design.” While the environment‐centred design is well‐established, the ocean‐centric design remains underexplored, particularly regarding its epistemological foundations. This article defines ocean‐centric design as an approach to expanding ocean literacy dimensions and driving change across disciplines. Integrating design methodologies (civic design method) and concepts like bodies of water, Hydrocene, and perspectives from the blue humanities, the study proposes a framework and devises indicators to help designers ensure their practices are ocean‐centric. These indicators aim to foster a stronger connection with the ocean among society while addressing the Ocean Decade’s Challenge 10 “restoring society’s relationship with the ocean.” To validate these indicators, they are applied to a selection of ocean‐design case studies to assess whether the designs are inherently ocean cycle‐centric or merely contextualised within an ocean setting. Ultimately, the article seeks to expand the scope of environment‐centred design by introducing and emphasising a blue epistemology. The article introduces ocean cycle‐centric design, expanding environment‐centred design and integrating ocean literacy into resilient design practices for a restored human‐ocean nexus.